Tobacco-drying and nicotin-extracting process.



R. G. MEWBORNE.

TOBACCO DRYINC AND NICOTIN BXTRACTING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1907.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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- tain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Drying and Nieotin-Emactin' Processes, fully described and represente` in the following speeiieationI and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same'.

This invention relates to processes'fordrying tobacco or tobacco stems or` stalks, or other tobacco material, and more especially to such processes in which the drying of the tobacco material is utilized also for obtaining the nicotin or other valuable constituents by condensing or treating the vapors passing off from thetobacco material during the drying process.

rlthe invention has been made in connection with carryin out the process of U. S. Letters Patent Ngd. 730,032, dated June 2, i903, and will be described inl connection with that process, it being understood, however, that the broader features of the invention are not limited to usein connection with the process of said Letters Patent.

lin carryin out the process of said Letters Patent o. 730,032, itis desirable that the temperature in the drier should be as high as possible, without injury to the tobacco material or it-s constituents, not only for the purpose of securing the rapidl drying of the material, but because it secures a more ecien't extraction of the nicotin and other volatile constituents of the tobacco material, and, in the case of tobacco material that is to be used forfertilizer after drying, a more eiicient separation of constituents desired in the fertilizer and -in the nicotin extract. With such high temperatures, however, it isv found in practice that there is great danger of fire in the drier, and the especial object of the present invention is to permit such high temperatures to be used without danger of fire, and thus-secure a rapid and ecient drying of the tobacco material and extraction of the nicotin. I secure this result `by the introduction of steam to the drying chamber, steamv being admitted in anV suitable quantity, so lon as there (is su cient to prevent fire occurmng in the rler.

The invention may be carried out "in appa-.

processes :olf treating the 'tobacco material,

either before: or'after drying, and the methodk and apparatus for treating the vapors may beef. any suitable 'character'.

An apparatus of a preferred form for carrying' out the invention in connection `with the process4 of Letters Patent No. 730,032,1aa1d employing a drier of a common gtype, is illustrated diagrammatically in the -drawing forming a part of this specification, and this, apparatus will now be described and .the features forming the invention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, A is a tobacco drier of well-known form, having the drying chainber divided into sections, four being shown,

and having a cooling chamber at the end, the sections of the drying chamber and the cooling chamber being separated by partitions 10, a conveying belt l1 for the tobacco material running through the drier, and fans 12 for circulating air through the cooling chamber andy from the cooling chamber through the drying chamber, the drier being heated by steam pipes 13 extending through the sections of the drying chamber above the conveying belt 11. At the end of the drier opposite the cooling chamber, that is, at the end at which the tobacco materia-1 enters the drier on the conveying belt 1l, vapor pipe B passes from the top of the drier, the vapor being drawn oif by a fan C, on pipe B, and delivered to a condenser or apparatus of some suitable form for carrying out the process of Letters Patent No. 730,032, or

otherwise treating the vapors, a tower belng shown, which may be of any suitable condensing tower or gas scrubber construc- Patented Qct. 1,1912.

ing process may be combined with otherv tion, At some suitable point in the drier A,

preferably in the drying chamber section 'next to the cooling chamber, and at the point shown, a steam inlet a is provided, which is connected with any suitable steam supply. This steam inlet may be placed elsewhere than as shown, and more than one steam inlet for the drier may be used, if in any case found desirable..

While the invention has been described inconnection with the employment of a high temperature for the purpose of rapid drying and efficient extraction of the volatile constituents, and. the invention' is of special value for preventing fires which are liable .fito result from such high temperature, the

' troduction of steam i`s of value even with lower drying temperatures, and the invention is intended to include such use.

What I claim is 1. The improvement in methods of drying tobacco material, which consists in subject: ing the tobacco material to a hi h temperature in a chamber through whic air is circulated, and admitting steam to the chamber during the drying process.

2. The improvement in methods of drying tobacco material and obtaining nicotin or other volatile constituents from the Vapors, which consists in subjecting the tobacco material to a high tem erature in a chamber' through which air 1s circulated, admitting steam to the chamber during the drying process, and drawing ofi' and condensing or otherwise treating the vapors from the chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A ROBERT GRAHAM MEWBORNE.

Witnesses:

A. S. MURPHY, E. S. STEELE, Jr. 

